Madison's Recycling Program Adds New Items

Cardboard Sided Cans and Metal Bottle Caps Now Recyclable

The City of Madison will be expanding its recycling program to include cardboard sided cans and metal bottle caps. Both items can be included in the green recycling carts for curbside collection.

“We are very happy to announce two new additions to our recycling program,” Madison recycling coordinator George Dreckmann said. “Cardboard sided cans are very common. You find them used to nuts, snacks, powdered beverages and baby formula. They require no special preparation. Just put the empty containers in your green cart.”

Recycling metal bottle tops will require some special preparation. Bottle caps must be put inside a tin/steel can. When the can is partially full, the top should be pinched shut. This can of bottle tops can then go in the green cart.

“Bottle tops are too small to just be dropped into the recycling cart,” Dreckmann said. “The loose caps will fall through our contaminant screens at the recycling center and end up in the trash. By putting them inside a can and pinching the top shut you insure that the caps will pass over the screen and be picked up by our magnets and get recycled.”

The City has prepared a video on bottle cap recycling that you can view on the Streets Division’s web page, www.cityofmadison.com/streets . Click on the Recycling tab and go to Guidelines. Residents with questions can also call the City recycling office at 267-2626.